Jun 13, 2011

sorry...

I was really keen on this blog, and its not that nothings happened.. its that too much has happened and I have been procastinating.

So... I don't really know what order things happened in but I had a really interesting, and good first week of easter. I went to a jazz gig, few parties, an ice hoceky game, a oberstuffe bbq in the forest (all that with real Germans :D )and a spring fest (with othe other exchange students)..Before I knew it, it was my 2nd month day. I went to France for a week... and then it was back to school. Then I just lived..went to Konstanz for a weekend to stay with a friend... Then I changed families... then I just lived... then I went to Dresden, the next weekend was long and I went to Zurich for a night quite spontaniously... and that weekend was a birthday party of a good friend of mine. Then it was this weekend and I went out of friday night to the town ha ha ha. And this weekend I have been simply hanging with the family, eating, watching movies in German ha. Und... this week we have holidays and I'll probably just live and on friday we got to Austria to stay at this like old farm house and drink goats milk, the week after that I go with my host sister to Paris, then I will just live for two weeks and then Barcelona for a week with the Oberstuffe and then I come back to NZ.

Ok, now for the long version of what I just said... maybe with photo's :D

So yeah, I had a few friends at school, and we went out a few times as I probably have mentioned.. but I also had a neighbor I had walked home a few times with, and had talked on facebook too, his name is Julian. So oneday, we were both home and he started talking to me on Facebook so I just said what are doing! I am coming over! And that was the beginning of a great friendship. That week we did something together almost everyday.. from going for a walk to a little lake, reading vogue, drinking wine and watching youtube with other friends, or going to bbq's. Twas cool.

I went to Spring fest in Stuttgart with some other exchange students... it was very.. festy. With heaps of food stands, a huge beer garden, and heaps of rides! I got to see a bit of Stuttgart and then came home that night.

I really can't be bothered resizing the pictures
.. sorry :P

Annnnd then we went to France, it wasn't that best holiday of my life but it was regaurdless, so lovely. France is beautiful, there is just something about it. I now see why with  the whole obsession with France. And the hot chocolates we lovely. I was in a camping place near a town names Dabo.. its extreamly small so I don't know if you could find it on google maps but yeah.. France is just great. I saw Stassbourg aswell.

Then I probably went to Konstanz the next weekend.. Afterschool started. Then that week I changed families. Strangest thing, it happened so fast! It still feels strange but I do feel at home, and love this place. I feel so much more happy... I live with a Kindergarten Teacher, Cordula. She is Sinja's mum (the uni student that lives in Konstanz I stayed with) and Julian is her brother, he is 13. Everyday I ride my a bike through the forest to school.. I love it. And the family are just wonderful... light, happy, absolutely friendly people :) The mother works all day but we eat breakfast and dinner together.. and when I come from school fast, lunch too. We normally have a hot lunch and a cold dinner- very German. I get to help make dinner. On the weekend we have 'brunch' and bbq. We watch movies together (my host mum and her boyfriend have great taste in movies) and . . . yeah. I love it here!!!!!

My first weekend  in the new family I went out on the friday to st.g town.. or too a bbq first with these other girls from my class, Sarah and Elena... who I now sit by in class.. and then yeah to the town where I danced the whole night and smoked Shisha :) The next day was my host brothers birthday and went to a Kite fest and was nice. Sinja was down.. we booked tickets to Paris.

The next weekend was Elena's birthday party.. it was in this like old car museum/factory thing and that was fun. That weekend Sinja and my other sister, Natasha down. She studies music in Stuttgart. And yeah had a family weekend, went to a comfirmation which in itself was boring but nice to be all together. That followed with a lunch that lasted all day in a gasthaus with all the people that this boy knew (who was getting comfirmated) and I found many 4 and 5 leaf clovers :P

The next weekend was a long weekend I was supposed to be going to Prague but the AFS guy taking us forgot so I decided, spontaniously to go to Dresden on the thursday. And so I found a mitfahrgelegenheit and stayed there with a girl, with the same scholarship from me. Not only was it wonderful to be with a NZer, but Dresden was amazing. The altstadt was just beutiful and the neustadt was so alive! We ended up staying there until 4 or 5 in the morning you meet such nice people when you are foreign and ahh was lovely.

The next weekend was a long one. I had nothing to do on the friday and I had found a cheap mitfahrgelegenheit and the couch person replied quick so I was there! ..alone! It was so nice, I meet these amercian girls and we talked until the early hours of the morning about culture! It was so interesting! And then the next day I wondered around Zurich.. eating chocolate :) I meet alot of people just sitting in this cafe for a few hours.. I was surpised I could understand them but they were probably speaking hoch deutsch when they noticed my deutsch wasn't amazing

Mmmm, the night I came back I made pizza and Julian was at mine and we chilled, he took my bike home at like 3 in the morning because he had to get up and organized his 18th that day!!! I went there and it was fun . . . sleeped the whole next day...

Then that brings us to this week! It was a short week.. on thursday we had abistreith. Which is a day, when the abi people. Its like the people finishing college, have actually finshed, and they have a day where they can pull all these pranks = a soaking wet jessie at 8am :p but was fun!

This weekend I went out on friday night... and chilled with the fam. We watched about 3movies in two days, had yummy food! Made jam and rubab cake.. just had the grandparents over :)

Uuh its kind of weird summing it up like this....

In the week I usually go to school, ride my bike home, eat, and then meet up with friends or go to Konstanz or something.......................

Life is good.. I am really happy! I have worked really hard for this life so its cool.. its great.. and I am hungry

Apr 10, 2011

Love, love.. Love!

Hello Hello everybody.
I am here to report on my fantastic day yesterday. I went to Konstanz to meet my friend, Mariana, form Argintina:
Mariana
..because it is her birthday soon and I just had to see her before then :p

I got to Konstanz at twelve, after a hour and a half train ride. And meet up with her and two other exchange students and we got a doner. Doners are German kebabs but there in this soft bread shaped like pita bread, instead of a wrap. 

The second thing we did, was something I have been waiting to do my whole life; go to Zara. And all I can say is seventh heaven.. it did not disapoint like all the other european shopping outlets (H&M etc) Two levels of beautiful fabrics and classic un-tashy cuts that reasonably priced.. Well, I've finally found a place where I belong. With much restraint- I only brought a bright orange skirt, a dress and when I was at the conter I found my glasses, god and zara designed just for me.. I wont upload a picture since you'll be seeing alot of them in this blog entry.

We walked around this huge shopping centre for a while (well huge for Germany) and then we went to the town and walked around a bit, then got an ice cream. I got Hazelnutt of course (new favourite) and tried in english, bluebery ice cream. We then went to the lake and meet up with the boys again.


Ahhh I love konstanz and Bordensee. I alway feel happy when I'm there. Yesterday, with meeting 'zara' I felt unnaturally happy. It's just such a beautiful place. All the people are beautiful and dress amazingly. The boys are cute.. the weather is so nice (apprtntly. not in the winter but that means cheap rent!) and I feel happy there. Konstanz is for me. I think the University of Konstanz is looking good...

We laxed out by the lake for some time before Mariana and I left to take the ship accoss the lake to Meersberg. Could see the swiss alps. Much fun:


And meet this girl when stressing abut the bus who told us we should swim the accross the lake every sunday in July.. OK! I am swimming the bordensee, cool! We somehow made it to Uberlinging (....) which is a beautiful town on the bordensee where Mariana lives. Mariana shouted me to a drink on this lake side cafe, then walked down the along the lake and talked and watched the sunset.


Twas a lovely day, I love zara, the bordensee and my friend so all was Beautiful.

Look on Facebook for all the photo's.

I then caught two trains home and after walking home the time was perhaps eleven. I live on the other side of town and it was dark.. But its weird, in Germany- I dont think bad things happen as much as in NZ. For example I can leave my bag at school anywhere with anything in it and can trust its safe because everyone else does that too. People sometimes leave there bikes not locked up on the street. And its OK to go walking at the night, alone. Well I assume because my family said nothing and nothing bad happened apart a toot or two... Hahaha.

New thought: talking german, is sometimes like flying. Sometimes like crashing. Lets just say, I love the take off.

Apr 8, 2011

And all the different names for the same thing

Oh the joys of a small town.

It was a really nice day today, as it had been for the past three days or so. I had a Maribophone lesson but we it came to go inside I just couldn't make myself leave the sun, so my like ''teacher'' (this boy in the year above or something) and I had a fail lesson in the sun by the town square that lasted about 20minutes and then spent a few hours talking. He walked me to my friends house where we were having a bbq. And four people in the house had seen me. Her dad told her I he saw me on a date (??????!) This all within a few hours! Oh my.... This is different.

Had a fun week, chillaxing with friends in the sun and school I had my first spanish lesson. I went out for a drink with a betrauer. But starting to feel home sick.. It's weird, btu kind of refreshing as it means I'm actually here. I can feel it. This is offically home. But sometimes I do feel like I'm going through the motions of a life and not actually... serving a purpose. I mean sure a purpose for myself but .. mmm. ''Egal'' I miss myself alot too. It's really hard for me not being witty clever spontanious Jessie.  I just don't have the words and I do feel I must immer speak Deutsch.

But it has been a really nice week.

Apr 5, 2011

I really can't remember was it's like to listen to something and be really sure you really understand them . . It's not a new feeling. I can only describe it as maybe.. No I can't really describe. Maybe like when talking to someone you like, and you analys everthing they say.. Even though you might understand the words, you have to 'translate the meaning'

Even though I still end up having a few english conversations a week on the phone to LILY HI or family or my englisch teacher... Sometimes when I'm thinking I wonder how I communicated with people beofre and then I remember where I am.. honest.. It's s strange. 

Talking in English is boring... but great. In english I can go into depths and I'm so eager too, but who with.. I don't really have anyone within a 100km distance. But German, german is exciting.. I have no idea what I'm going to come out with.. Let alone weather it will be witty, or povoke an interesting responce, or weather it'll lead to complicated vocabulary. It like 'head first in the shallow end'. When I talk I pray, pray for words. Or fishing for words is interesting... for example today I couldn't remember the word for remember in this context so I said 'nothing for me to forget' and that was like a lot wittier then the first alternative. But as you can see my english isn't exactly de creme de la creme at the moment.


This past week is a bit of a blur. I had a (das) Maribophone lesson, the boy teaching me is great- I can't think of a time here I have spoken to someone in German for so long (ok a lie.. maybe my Betrauer but still a dramatic streach of the truth to convey how it was nice never hurt)  But then toward the end we somehow ended up speaking in English -.-


On saturday I gallovanted round town on my lonesome and ended up going to the oldest house in St.G, which is a museum thats open like 4 days a year... so I thought I would go in! And oh my I had this lovely old man and he took me on a tour through the whole house explaining everything to me! Insisted on speaking english and oooh he was so süss! Yeah when we were.. departing.. he went to shake my hand and I kiss his cheek. I love the awks :D

Went to a App-pris-see party in Schonach on saturday night, bad music.. but was quite fun.

On sunday I went to bordensee.. the like most beautiful place in the world... I think I'll get married there kind of beautiful... I took lots of picture.. but some are from the net cuz you weren't alloud to take photo's inside.. Butz this church was so detailed I was just blown away.. I didn't know where to look. Twas beaut'.









Mar 30, 2011

:O)

'Cause all you see is where else you could be when you're at home
Out on the street are so many possibilities to not be alone

Mar 28, 2011

And the dirtyist of all dirty words, promising.


Do I have a treat for you, my Late Orientation Camp report. Tales of Jessie learning how to Salsa/Merengue, put on a condom and also learning how may name is dirty and offence. But first, like many of my posts, I will kick start this spiel with my week (!!! not)

This week, I posted two (I want to say loafs, like bread, but I really mean like..groups- sorry can't think of the word) 'groups' of postcards. Why two you ask? Well turns out I am an extreamly lucky girl, and not just becuase I know so many lovely people to send post cards too.

So I went down to the post office, alein, and asked the man for stamps and we got talking. It's pretty odivious I am an Ausländer as my pronouceration is, well, average. Yeah so we walked about me and it was good and nice and then we are fertig with the postcards and conversation, he says stay there for a minute. So I do.. Wondering where he is going as he disappears into the back. And he comes back with maybe 7 relly nice Schwarzwald postcards, and gives them to me for free! It was so sweet. They were really nice, like big ones and stuff. Schön!

Yup, I tried Yoga. It wasn't anything how I thought. We pretty much layed there most of the time which was suprisingly nice. I say suprisingly because I was in the mood for some endorphans and to stop thinking for a bit. But turns out Yoga is very.. nice. Hmmm a must serch for a better word... I can only think 'good' at the moment as I am so tired (you'll find out why soon)

But chuur, my week was quite boring.. until thrusday! I meet up with my betreuer, Janina, in Villingen. It was quite funny actually. I was early and couldn't find the post box thing and I asked some girl where it was and and she told me and then when I walked off she shouted out: should I come with? I turned around suprised and it was Janina all along.. she had he hairt tied back and wow I felt like a dick.

We went out with Vanya aus Bolivien, who is going home soon and staying bei Janina's. We went out to an eis cafe to catch up, but then I ended up sleeping over. We had a girls nights playing drinking games, sharing secrets and smoking shisha. This was my first time smoking this, its really common over here and everywhere else in the world so it seems. But I have never heard of it? Do we have this in NZ? Can you buy nice flavours? Do you know what it is? I would love to know, if someone would tell me..?

Yeah it was a great night, I wont go into anymore details. It did kind of suck to wake up at 6 after so little sleep, walk to the station, catch the train and walk for like have an hour home as I misjudged the distanced.

LOC time!

On the way up to Freudestadt Vanya Bryan and I had to stop in Hausach for an hour to change trains. I made friends with the like track controller, or something guy and he showed me how to work the big board thing (it looks like a sound board) before we took lots of pictures and advanced to LOC. I love how nice people are. Just taking me in and showing me.. schön!


We arrived, we muck arround as everyone arrives. There were about 25 of us perhaps from all over Baden-Würtemberg. There was an austalian, maybe five thai, five japanese, one malay, many many latin americans and us two Kiwi's.

They did the camp thing, and I caught up with my friends, we went for a little walk and they talked rules.. We did a workshop, and like all the workshops we did, we were normally split into three groups: those who want to speak spanish, english or german. I always went into the german one but becuase of everyone limited language we didn't really have interesting conversation. But after all that we palyed a interesting.. game.

So, one must make someone laugh/smile- whilst doing this you must say 'Darling I love you, wont you smile for me' and then they must reply, staright faced, 'I love you darling but I can not smile today' for it to be over and the lover to move on to whoever else and try make them laugh. The volenteer who started the game, conveniantly he started by with me, it was really funny but I convenetly didn't laugh.. making me a bit of a 'to be persued' person. But I did crack! Vanya used an inside joke and how could I resisted? And then be staddled and lapped dance on by this other guy, well again. And then once bryan just looked at me and lifted his eyebrows in this way and I was gone. So when I got out, I wasn't really good at making people laugh, I was OK but it took me a few times. However one time, I was looking around the circle for someone to persue and then I just looked at Bryan and said 'it's payback bitch' and he was a suckerrrr. Twas fun

The next morning we did a few more worshops on raletively boring things. During meals I would be ripping out my hair in fustration as I normally sat by someone from south amera and they would be talking all together in spanish because for most their english is average or non existant...

But in the afternoon we had a Stadtrally! Thats where you go around the town in teams and have to proform tasks. Twas so much fun! Managed to get a raw egg boiled, swoop an apple for Lindt chocolate, get photo's with many many people. But my group didn't win because of a translation problem. All the tasks were given in the three languages. And we interperated the english as makes lots of photos with lots of different people but really it meant take one photo with a lots of people. But I DO HAVE COOL PHOTOS!!!


I can’t really be bothered uploading anymore, but I’m sure your see them all on facebook soon.. maybe..

AND AFTER THAT we had an other workshop, a speical workshop.. where they seperated us into boy and girls.. (if you know what I’m talking about) It was pretty standard until they brought out the carrots and condoms!!! I felt like a movie. But maybe it was good because I had no idea how to put on a condom and I don’t think I was the only one hahahha.

That night we had a talent quest. The Japanese did ahh paper folding of english…oragami! It was very cool. And most other people did cultural dancing, including me! I did and taught the Haka and a little did of that stick thing, taiaha. It was nice hanging out with a Kiwi though. We didn’t really talk on the way over, but this camp we talked a lot. A lot about NZ since we had to do the Haka and the food we missed! Ahhh yeah..!
Yes the Australian has vegemite on her face
 
After that I think everyone was just ona major buzz and the latin americans decided to teach us how to salsa/merangay! I think only three of us really did it but ahhh love! It was hard at first to let go and just let someone lead but it was so lovely! And even though we dance so close it doesn’t feel bad or dirty. We ended up dancing until four am! I have no idea how I am going to dance with boys back in NZ when I have tasted this! It just made me happy!

I also taught people something, like how to shuffle and jerk even though some things I taught I cant do myself! Yup major buzz, I could have danced all night.

Throughout the camp, and the next morning escpeically when I would go to take a picture. Like ask someone if they can take a piture of me and someone else. Almost everybody in the room would jump into the picture and there camera’s thrown at the person taking the picture so we would have to pose for two minutes straight while the taking got throught the twenty camera’s! Demo..

 
Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE thought I was a living Meryl Streep, and as everyone always says: a young pretty Meryl Streep of course! Tis so strange, how many absolutely different people think that- I don’t see it? But I was quite flattered. Someone said it wasn’t my looks alone but my being, or vibe, or the way I present myself. I think someone mentioned the word powerful so yeah I’m happy!

It was really nice being with so many different people. Like when you’re here in Germany, you are alone. In your family you are alone, and to be together with people for a weekend who are in the same shoes as you is lovely. Its an automatic bond. Some people there couldn’t speak a word of english or very little German yet we became friends anyway.. somehow. Although no words were involved.. kind of magic yes?

Of course we all swooped emails and what not, and for those who don’t know my emails jessie.marika. And I do love my middle name- I was planning to name one of my children Marika. But now, I am deffinately not. Turns out ‘Marica’ in Spanisch is a terrible insult.. an insult to someone gay. I just google translated it now and the words that come up are sissy queen pansy magpie milksop mollycoddle quean. Now I don’t even know most of those words, not that my english is very good at the moment but apparently it’s the worst type of gay. So yes all laughed for hours, great. 'no don't take this email to latin amera ok'? OK. Just to think how close that became to being my name, no one would take me seriously! THANKS MUM. Just jokes:) Twas funny though..!

Alot of other stuff happened but it was more of a be sort of camp, I can't convey it. Sorry my writting isn't it's normal quality.

Over all, that camp was exactly what I needed. On the way back I just felt inspired and really happy. It's clear to me now what I want out of all this, and it's so nice to have some more people to relate to. I must learn Salsa! Things are on the up. How promising.....


Mar 21, 2011

Uh-oh cheerio

It's almost 2 o'clok here and so far it has been a resally good day. But being bored in whatever subject I was in first period (well first period for me) I did something stupid. Guess.. In my diary/ pretty book -I carry around to wirte feelings and details and what on my mind when bored- book, I did it. I wrote a list of things I miss. I wouldn't recommend doing it, in fact I avoid thinknig to much about NZ at all. So for you, in no particualr order:


° Chippy sams with marg and shitty white bread
°  My mama
°  Steak
°  Lydia
°  My pillow
°  Hockey
°  BOY BOYS BOYS
° The liabrary movie collection
° Sara

°  Hugs. I've haven't had a real hug that wasn't out of politeness or a goodbye yet. I'm not a huge hugger anyway to anyone but my family but still.. Maybe I miss my mama hugs...
° Pinapple lumps, just jokes
° The simplisty of acting like a bitch and just owning it. Or acting like a like a dick with my friends. Surveying, limbo, spies, indian tag. I miss Anna and courtney.
° Lunchtime!!!

Yeah so then I got thinking about easter camp and all the good times and even though I'll be in France for Ostern, I don't know where I'd rather be.

And then I wrote out 'Bonkers' in big capital purple letters and had feelings... hahahahah

So please, have a chippy sam for me :o)

Mar 20, 2011

The game stays the same, only the players change.

 Mmmm a long week it has indeed been. I can't believe almost a week ago I was gearing up to go to Basel. Ahhh my dear Basel. Anywho, ch-ch-changes.

Stunt of the week: joining the year seven German class.

I walk in and lingure around the back of this relatively big class room, not wanting to steal some ten year olds seat. It's a mad house in there, two groups of kids litterly fighting over one chair, tugger war. Insane high pitch chatter. I couldn't help but be in absolute hysterics over the abserdity of the situation. The situation being Jessie, this giant girl who can barely talk would be joining these hyperactive children for three hours a week.

Finally when the teacher came, I looked to see no space for me, so some kid got a chair for me and these boys moved over and fortunatly, I ened up sitting but a (host) cousin. The teacher started the class by talking about what I was doing in their class. Luckily she talks rather slow (yes I do feel like a retard but ooh well) so I undestood what she was talking about, which is something that hasn't really happened in a class room situation for a while. I have developed this skill of blocking out certain tones of voice in my head. Although when this is tone changes and is directed at me- I kind of freak out in my head becuase I have to start thinking in German and translating, and formulating replies all of a sudden. But of course, Miss Algar here still appears poised and calm. . . .

So after the explaining she askes the children if they have anything they want to ask me. I feel, uncharectistically shy and timmered, but shake it off. Their like ten Jessie, comm'on. And what do they ask me? Easy things! Whats your favourite colour, where are you from, what sports do you play? Ahhh good. I couldn't have missunderstood if I wanted to.

After that we played a game. It was like, you charade making and eating something and then they guess what you were eating. And in some quiz thing I somehow wona chocolate. I thought, I think I'm going to like this class.

At the end of the class, some child asked if they had homework. The teacher said, well, no. And ALL the kids in the class screamed with joy, throughing their hands in the air! I couldn't help but smile. It was very cinamatic, in a The Simpsons type of way.

After class, I was getting my bag and a group of girls came up to me and asked If I was an Au Pair.For some reason I think I said yes. It's this mechonism I have now. When I don't understand what people say, or forget to be listening carefully so I can translate and I don't really care for the person or just want to go or something- I just always say ja. It's a mechonism I picked up after getting in this situation a few to many times. Someone once told me, I think it was Anna, that when doing the Australaisan Maths exam and if one has no idea what answer to put, alway just say the same answer (like B) because statisically you should get more correct that way. Or something like that. So I choose yes.Maybe it's good, maybe it's bad. But it usually works. So what if some ten year old thinks I am a Au Pair :p

First class was good, second class- not so much.

In short, I think what we were meant to do was copy down what she said. But they were all these scientific words and the Schwarzwald accent means I'm learning everything like a new word again. And in complete confusion I stopped and then I think I possibly got told off. So I just wrote down words the sounded like the words she was saying. Ahhhh.

To make things worse, the children are always staring at me in this way that is completly innocent, but if a not-so-much-a-child was staring at me like they stare at me I would totally give them the finger. AND I NEVER PULL THE FINGER (WWGKD? : What would Grace Kelly do?) So instead if like four of them were looking at me in a row, I would look at them without smiling (and that really means with slightly cold eyes)

Twasn't so bad after that we had to write some abstract poem about our favourite word. I just choose ther cheesiest word I knew in German: Traum. Lolololololol

 Another interesting event at school this week was my music classes. Usually in music I watch my class play a long piece of something old and familiar like Wolfgang or whatever his name is. Their like a full on orchestra, vialin, massive piano, challo, flutes, things that are so extream I have no idea what to call them. Yeah so I wantch them and imagine ballet dances in my head, or sleep.

But this week they had to do theory, and I thought well f that. I'll die. So I asked the music teacher if I should change class or something; and he was like noooo. (Sweet yes, I have no idea why he said that though) So i asked him if it would better if I learnt something. He's like, yes, what do you want to learn. I siad Klavier. And he's like OK, I'll get someone to teach you. I then ask if I can play on the instrumet this period and he's like sure. So I had an hour and a half of drums, piano and whatever else I could find. And what did I find... The marimbaphone!
Isn't it cool! So after class I ask my teacher if I can learn this instead, and he's like OK. And then he said pointing toward the guy he was talking to: This guy is a really good drum player. And think OK random.. I reply 'Pity I don't want to learn the drums then..' Little did I know the MPhone is a type of drum. So I introduced myself and he is going to teach me, great!

Next music lesson I did thre same thing, 'cept the music room had turned into a stage, with the wall removed- the next room was ancored lower and many many chairs in it. On the 'stage'  was a long grand piano. So yeah it got my kicks :D :D

...You know how I do

Now for friday night!!!

Melanie's boyf's Birthday. And I thought I was going to just another party...

Is there such a things as just another party, fool!

Mel wanted to go after school, of which I had no desire to, so I went at eight with her friend form school. Her friend drove us there. But the normal 20 minute drive to Furtwangen, took about 40. Mopstly, because who in the world would know that the place we were going was a 4 x 4 hutt house thing in the middle of the wald.

No kidding, This place was extreamly small, I'm being generous with 4 x 4. I walked in to see decked out speakers, a fire, an oven and a relatively big table. There was a ladder and lead to the equally small 2nd sorry, where some of us would be sleeping.

The people included the normal three couples, minus a girlfriend. More people came and left. There was alot of alcohol and the playlist included what I know as 'Fasnet' music which is like German songs that have catchy tunes and sound a lil old. And top 40 techno stuff. It was a really good night.

I'll paint you a picture/video.

All the boys suddenly scream like they can read eachovers minds ''SCHATZI SCHENK MIR EIN FOTO!'' So they put that song on to play and everyone is up dancing and singing. And your singing even though you are making up the world with sounds most of the time but it's OK becauase everyone else is so into it and loud. Becuase in this picture your Jessie, and your've been dancing like all night. You go outside to ctach some air, but what you find is even better, it's snowing! And you open your month to catch the snow attempting to wash away the waste of Malibu but then you hair some song with a beat that had you at hello. So you leave winter wonderland and dance somemore. But then the food is ready so you eat and everyone is happy. But then you suddenly get angry becuase you forgot your camera and your in this cool place. and also because you just washed your hair and everyone is smoking inside and your hair will smeel like smoke until you find the will to wash it again.

Yeah so pretty much I danced danced danced drank and ended my night talking to those who survived to stay awake, or up-right at three in the morning. Their were three of us out of seven staying over that managed to do so.

I had to get up early in the morning, like seven. Which I didn't mind since I didn't sleep very well on the floor without a pillow.. And so I go down-ladder to look out the window and see about five cm of snow covering the forest, floor and road. It was absolutely breath taking. By our hutt was like, new skinny tree's supporting five cm or more of snow on their tiny branches and everything is laced in snow oh my life it was lovely! I'm plastered against the window practically suicidal that I didn't bring my camera.

The rest of the weekend included catching up on sleep, going out for a boring dinner with Melanies gym.. people. And today I cleaned my room and walked down to the lake and sang my favourite songs to myself. Twas so nice.
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 An abstract from my diary: First period of school, on my first day
''I don't undertsand the class jokes yet. Maybe because I'm in French, EASY BOY''

And a picture of my host family, in case you hadn't seen them yet.




YOU KNOW YOU LOVE ME!

Jessie

Mar 14, 2011

Suprise, sunrise.

And today we'll find out how I ended up in an oher country passportless!

The day and nights seemed to have merged this weekend. I'll start form saturday night.

In short, I went to a spiele spielen (or visas versa- a play games) party with my host sis. Where I possibly won a game of poker and drank milk and honey :o) First we rolled up at that house that in the middle of nowhere thats like a barn. Honestly it's so strange. You walk into this huge random barn with like a tractor and hay and things that fit into the catorgory and there's like these big stairs right in the middle to go up to the next level and then to the left theres this insignificant door and you walk in and your in a house. Buzzzzzzzzzzzzy :p

And there was the same people as there was at the last party thing I went to there. Thing is, they're all couples. And German kids, well teens, are like really.. really into pdo - or maybe just kissing eachother. I find it quite... uncomfortable. Like I'll just stare in a direction then I have to turn my head really fast becuase I'll see people making out. At school, at parties, everywhere.

Then we left that house and went to another, where we played some wii game that involved finding the controllers ...? Twas good fun.

AND THEN we went to the 600 year old house where my host sis's boyf lives and played Poker, Texas Holden. I have no idea how to play, but just decided to go along with it, I'm quite proud I picked it up even though I am in Germany and they speak German.

I risked heaps one round at the start on a bluff, so I was playing pretty safe and then I realized I wasn't having a 'lucky game'- I wasn't like absolutely losing but I hadn't wona round, so I just bluffed and went all in- and won. The others went ou for a smoke and decided to call it a night cuz it was like 2am so I can only estimate that I won. But isn't milk good for your bones and brains or something and so it was most likely a correct estimate.

Then we stayed at Jacobs. Its really weird staying at someones house alone. Like I have a room to myself when I sleep there and I'm always really paranoid about when to get out of bed cuz none or everyone might be up. So far, so good however.

When my family came to pick us up we went to the Triburg Schwarzwald museum. I want go on about what cool things I saw, or how big it was- but living in such an old country and seeing things that are really old is extreamly humbling for me.

We then looked around Triburg and retreated home for a nap. As that night I was going with my host papa, sis and some afs people to a 4am parade in Basel!

Had a nap, ate some food. Checked my email and got a shock, so I couldn't sleep anymore- in order to relax I just had to read gossip girl :p

Then at 11:30 we went to meet ate other car load and headed to Schonach to pick up my Bolivan friend and her host brother form Turkey. When we were looking for her house, I had a moment. I was running down the road of this little village, searching for a house number and the clock striked 12pm. i felt like a princess night creature form back in the day dancing to the clock.. I don't know how to explain it it was jst such a cool feeling.

It was a fun car ride, we talked and ate over priced chips. We then parked in a random town and took a short bus ride to Basel. In the other car was a Belgium girl, that has been here for a little while, the boy from South America that I trained from Frankfurt and this AFS volenteer who was like extrreamly interesting. He was very smart and had such an interesting life. He told me about how he travels around Europe on his motorbike and like FedEx's (or the german equivilant) clothes or whatever to like a random hotel in say, Florence, where he might just end up in a few days.

Anyway, we were talking like 'meet here if.. and' stuff and he was like 'BTW don't litter, in Switzerland it's a very serious offence' and I was like 'We're in Switerzland?! I thought you had to show your passport before going to another country.' And everyones like, 'you didn't bring your passport?!' Scheiße...

We had an hour or so before the parade started, so we walked inton the altstadt and found a good place to stand. The fasnacht parade in Basel is a but speical, becuase Basel is the prodestant capital of the world, or Europe or something, and Fasnacht is Catholic practice. So back in the day when these things were just learning to walk. The Protestants decided that to piss the catholics off, they will start their celebrations a week later, so where I live Fasnacht finished a five days ago or something, but in Basel it's just finishing this week. Also, the parade goes in two directions, I can't remember why but it's probably something to do with pissing off the catholics. 


Basel Fasnacht is in the top 50 festivities in Europe and the only protestant carnival in the world.

So after finding our spot, I was just looking around at my new friend Swiss. She is very beautiful. My friend form Australia that I meet at Frankfurt airport while waiting for the train and I have been emailing. She asked me yesterday weather I think that Fashion is horrible here. This is something I have been debating my head for a while now. It seems for boys, it is better. The boy in my class usually wear jeans and nice strippy sweater and jeans with a nice jacket. So for boys that standard is higher. But for girls, I am not so sure. I keep think I am in Europe, the option for shopping and clothes are huge! But then again I live in a small town and in the nearest shopping town the best they have is H&M. So in my school I can conclude:



In NZ we have a bigger range or horrible to good, where here there is less horrible but better- not really.

HOWEVER IN SWITZERLAND: Wow. Heaven. I wanted to pretend I was some wanabe Satoralist and ask if I could take a photo but these woman and men looks so sophisictaed I couldn't bring myself to ask with my like less then $300NZD camera hahahah. Hopefully, when I go to France for easter I will pick up my balls. I swear I saw like groups of swiss male models hangin out, they were stunning. And all the woman wore amazing coats and cute boats OMG I sound so lame but it was amazing.

I was gushing over this, when the town colck chimmed four.. and boom..! All the lights of the whole town are turned off, darkness. Thousnads of people in darkness. Then all of a sudden the bands starts to drum and it sounds olike the start of a techno song but then one hears hundreds of flutes start to play some happy tune and they march down with like these light picture things on their heard like a hat lighting up the streets again. It was.. speical.

It looked like that

And alos every 'group' had a lighten up puicture float thing, usually a comic sacaristically mocking some political issue. (who knew sizzerland wasn't perfect?) I didn't understand much with those but this is what it looked like



So there were about, I am going to guess and say 400 groups. And a group usually consisted of a float like above, with people carying it, about 20 fluters, and perhaps a few less drummers. All wearing different quirky costumes- like evry individual wearing something different but all equally outrageous. Different to the other parades I had been to.

So this we watched for a while, a new group came every tow minutes inconstantly with crouds of people walking around inbetween. It was a great energy. I wish I could of captured what it felt like. We were in a goregous side street, near the town square with beautiful building and this happy music sounding like screams of joy and the buildings were being lit up by everyone camera flashed and so much people, and so much was happening in this beutiful city. This is starting to sound like creative writting but it was ..inspiring.

After a while we had had enough people watching so we went for a walk to see that famous chuch and ooooh it was magic. Walking up those little narrow euporean streets withthe beautiful buildings. Sitting on a legde and just watching the beautiful Rhine with the flutes in the background and busy people rushing about in the darkness of the morning. It was absolutley a dream. 


My camera didn't take so weel to the ligth and the dark and the falshing of toher camer's so I have found some pictures on the web, that might start to convey to you the beauty of this city:

Can you, or can you not imagine this street at night time. Can you hear the sounds of flute and drums and imagine it fill of people? Can you imagine this little Kiwi girl in uggs, pretty skirt and cape. Simply skippy up this street and stopping at every door in awe of it's beauty. Can you see why I love?
What's better then Switzerland by night? Switzerland by sunrise.

I didn't get arrested, I didn't get lost. Today I came home and slept until 3pm. And I have been trying to share and convey my new love ever since. I feel like an artist because this passion and want for the world is soemthing I think worthy of meseum. Happiness in history. I hope I have a done a good enough job to convince you that Basel Fasnacht is just something you've got to see.

Mar 10, 2011

Because this blog is about you (when it's not about me)

Not much to say, that will be of interest. Just these small facts.

I watched my favourite movie in German the other day, exhausting! Lucky I know it off by heart (in English) from watching it every second day this past summer. But the voice overs were quite so horrible, I am scared the German/swiss/austrian population may get the wrong idea with their tone of voice sometimes.

How I feel: happy, lonely, excited, the mean reds, inspired, proactive, hyperactive and content. Sometimes just eating is cool. Like today I brought a brezel and I was like 'wow I am eating a real German brezel, from a freakin' German swimming pool, IN GERMANY!' It's refreshing and kind of brings me back down to earth.. So next time, my fallow Kiwi's, your eating a fish'n'chips, stop and think....

I love getting emails form everyone it makes my day over and over again. Weather they just say Hi and tell me what their up to, or telling me to mind my language in this blog, or whatever - I love it. I may not reply, and please don't be offened or upset if I don't (it just means I don't need anything form you) as I am trying not to be on the computer alot. But I am encouraging it! Just say what your doing, anything simple. As a matter of fact, the next six people who send me an email (jessie.marika@live.com or facebook) and attach their address will get a postcard!

And as the title reads...

Lucky fools :p

Mar 8, 2011

You have the right to remain romantic

Uhh what a day!

Yesterday my host father, mother, brother and I went into St.G centre to do stuff for my visa but then ended up going into villingen. My host brother and father are so bonkers about this Geo-cashing thing, we stopped all over the place so they would make their mark on whatever was there! The even brought a ladder and ended up climbing a tree and goodness me it was insane!

But lets talk about something more exciting and significant, like.. my day.. today!


I just spent the last light hour resizing pictures, so I am going to give the joy of looking at them. They are mostly of Villingen as Villingen is like my new favourite place in the whole world (it´´s so Beautiful!) and everytime I have gone there my camera has been out of battery or something. So here and now I have choosen 25 photos out of like 300. We went there today for the parade and boy have I got some stories for you, crazy germans! Just you wait, Henry ´iggens, just you wait.
Melanie and I, at a river outside the town square
My crazy family dressed up as cowboys
The notorious Jessie
Photography babes
Only in Germany
Croud or scenery, I don´t know
Fruhling!
Fasnacht fashion????
Schön, ja?
Süss!
Again, süss!
New favourite hobbey, take pictures of people looking ot windows.
Is he looking at me, I don´t know. He´s in like 90% of my pictures
As I said, it´s very fun
Thre were so many of these!
Hi

Ok, so we rock up to parad eabout an hour early, get a good spot and I take pictures of people inside their houses, choice. I am at the front so I am very happy. Front= best place to be cute and score lollys. But no. the parade starts and turns out our ´schön´ spot which is perfect because all my family can see OK is not so great. Just to the left of me (and the parade is coming form the left) is some lil children who know thius secret german cute code song and makes all the people in the parade go awww and give them heaps of lolly. Even my host family didn´´t know the song, so it must of been a villingen fasnacht song. After maybe 20 minutes of no lolly for Jessie I am extreamly.. ticked off. So I do what I do best. Put the charm on. The kids may have got worse, but I deffiately got better. I was waving and smiling and calling all random chants I could learn and the lollys and shots were rolling in. It was great, I was getting heaps more thrown at me then my little brother, and good stuff too. My host father kept saying Jessie youtr hae a talent, your very talented at this! Now your all thinking that´s sooo Jessie, competing with todlers for lollys and being better then them, but things happen to attention seekings teens that dont happen to attention seeking kids.

But just to say, parades in Germany rock. It´s mostly all bands and costumed people, some framed with interesting floats. But it´s so much better then in NZ. Better lolly for one, and they give out shots. And its just more interesting. The pople in the parade also prank the croud and it just more involved. Maybe its more casual or something. You get that impression when there is a man walking up and down the parade road holding a platter of beer. And when the, say, band, see him they just stop playing and croud him. Alles gut. Casual.

I guess the interesting things for me today was a prank. I was just doing my thing, scoring mid-night-snacks for then next few weeks, calling things out, smiling etc etc. And then a Hexen thing comes up to me throws me over his shoulder and, littlery. I don´t think someone has thrown me over there shoulder since I was like 6. I never really like it. Plus let review what I was/am wearing today. Turtle neck, high waisted skirt, cape, tights, and bright orange underwear, not sexy. The half of villingen that saw my ass probably could barely notice my orange boyshorts under my tights ubt ladies, you know how it is. You wearing a high waisted skirt and as a food baby grows it raises higher and sometimes you forget to care so when you practically upside down and kicking over some strangers shoulder and seems to be taking you to a starge place and you ass is in the middle of a parade.. well... it´s not so wonderful. And trust Jessie to be in that situation. And trust Jessie to understand.

So I eventually end up in a float, when are putting me into this spinny thingy. And I freak out (in my head of course, I´m always poised haahhaha) cuz I don´t understand what to hold on to, or what to do so I ask this man beside me and then I do this thing I´ll explain later where I don´t listen and just use I dont speak good German. But all was OK cuz they didnt spin us around to fast and there was no need to hold on. All that and I didn´t even get a chocolate.

Take two of trust Jessie.

Again, I´m just doing my thing to get lollys and chocolate, and it´s working a dream. I was a little bit of a mess because earlier this child had stuffed hay down my turtle neck and this clown looking thing had thown all this paper stuff in my direstion. But nothing like this. As I said, I´m doing my thang, it one of the last groups to go past. I had been going straight for two and a half hours so, ya know- not going to let those youngn´s get the better of me. I´m waving to this Hexen, these particular hexens have a big bag and some a little basket. I see saw some child score some chips so I´m, ya know, going in for the win. I start to smile as this creature walk toward to hand in bag. Wait! This is not right! His hands are on my head, messing my hair! I, now have paper in my hair, radical -.- . And like the poised, elegent, suave lady I am I say Danke schön (the one thing I say with the schwarzwald accent, I think) I then, thinking I deserve one after that, say to this creature and his fallow associates ´´bon bon?´´ My family laugh at this. Again, somethings come towards me and suprise, no bon bons. Mess, all over my hair, my cape (which is always needing a good lint) then someone else has a turn. I felt attacked! I thought, just my luck. I seek bon bons and I get mess. Now almost five hours later then paper is still falling out of my hair..

I guess thats what you get when you shine this bright...

It´s still quite hard not speaking German not so great though. I was smiling at a ..creature for bons bons and he comes up to me, give me one.. and starts hard out talking to me. Yes, I forget these things are human for one. And when people start hard out talking to me without me thinking like, without my tranlating hat on, or at dinner when I have no desire to listen I just dont actually try and hear what they saying. Like that time at hockey last year I started talking to the hot guy anbd forgot his name immediatly, its just too much pressure! I´m thankful for what I do know however, I think it make it easier for me to learn (maybe) I feel so sorry for like 95% of the exchange student here who know nothing.. yet.

Must sleep, I hope this makes sence. I hope I made you laugh. But even if my story telling failed I guess when I read this in years to come it will make me laugh.

I´m worth it ;)